An Encounter
by Kaichi98
Summary: Yu and the others had been called for help by an unknown Shadow. Who is it? And why choose them for help? Little did they know, the situation was far worse than they imagined... DISCLAIMER! I don't own CFV and Persona!
1. Chapter 1

Hello, everyone! This is a new story! I hope everyone will enjoy this new story and without further ado, let's start!

Normal POV

Yu and the others were on a trip to a city as they saw it coming into view from the train.

" This is definitely different from the town."

" But it looks so eerie..."

" Looks like it was a good choice not to bring Nanako-chan here. It would be terrible to scare such a small child like her."

" Anyway, don't forget why we're here in the first place."

" Yeah."

 _~ Flashback start~_

 _Fog covered their dream as they looked around after they found each other having been gathered in the dream simultaneously._

 _" Where are we? I mean, this is a dream, right?"_

 _" Yeah, the fog should be gone anyways."_

 _" I'm sorry, I called everyone here." A voice said_

 _They turned to see a blue haired boy with golden eyes coming out from the fog._

 _" Who are you?!"_

 _" Those eyes... Are you...?"_

 _" Yes, I'm what you call a Shadow. But, please don't be alarmed... I can only last like this for awhile..."_

 _" What do you mean by that?"_

 _" I... I want... No, I_ need _your help. I can't take this anymore... I just want to go back to the normal and happy life we had... But I can't say it as myself... I can only manifest for awhile to tell everyone this... Please, help me... Help my real self... Go to this place and help me... Help us take back our happier times..."_

 _" Who are you? Who's this us you're talking about?"_

 _The Shadow started to fade away._

 _" I don't have much time left... Please, help us..."_

 _" But how do we help you? Are you somewhere in the TV world?"_

 _" No... I'm in the real world. Your Personas will help you."_

 _" But we can't summon our Personas in the real world!"_

 _" You can... You just need my help in the real world... Find me and I'm sure the real me will understand... Please, hurry."_

 _After they heard the location, the Shadow disappeared._

 _~ Flashback end~_

" We didn't even get to hear his name. Oh well, if we go to this city and find the building he told us, I'm sure we'll get answers."

" Let's hope we do."

After getting out of the train, they started exploring the eerie city.

" If this is a city, then where are the people?"

" Yeah, this is starting to get really spooky."

" And we can't ask for directions either since there's nobody. Guess we'll have to trust our instincts."

" I think we found it already."

" What?!"

Yu pointed at a tall building in front of them as they read the sign.

" 'Tatsunagi Corporation'... This sounds like what that Shadow said!"

" Then... Everything is true?"

" Let's find out."

They walked into the entrance as they immediately felt a chill running down their spines.

" Hey... You guys felt that?"

" Yeah... It felt like we just went through something..."

" I-I'm sure it's just our imagination... Let's keep moving forward..."

" Right."

The glass doors at the entrance slid open as they entered the building. There was a panel just beside the elevator as it activated upon reaching in front of the elevator.

" Looks like we're supposed to enter the floor we want to go to."

" Well, obviously, we'll always go from the very top first, right?!"

" Then let's go up there."

" But still... This is just too empty..."

" I know... Let's get inside first."

Yu pressed the top floor as the elevator doors opened and they entered before the elevator started its ascend. Once they arrived at the top floor, a white haired boy was standing in front.

" Uh, who are you?"

" Actually, I'm supposed to be the one asking that. It seems like we have unexpected guests. Why are you here?"

" Uh... We came for a trip from a distant town! We heard this city was pretty famous, so we came to explore!"

" Nice one, Chie..." Yukiko whispered

" I see. Distant tourists... Right, then come with me. I'll show you around the building. But first, we'll need to inform the master about this."

" M-Master?"

" Yes. Every guests will need to go through him after all."

" R-Right..."

They started following the boy as they walked through the long hallway while looking around.

" This place is amazing!"

" I am flattered by the compliment but please keep as silent as possible once we arrive close to the door in front."

" You mean that giant door?"

They turned to see a giant door with a mix of shiny black and red colour just at the further right of the end of the hallway.

" Yes. The master is waiting beyond this door."

They turned to their left to see another giant door covering a few distance away from the other door.

" Please, enter."

" Uh, just asking. What is beyond that other door?"

" That is a private room. Unfortunately, I can't disclose much information. So please, come in here."

" O-Okay..."

The boy opened the door as they walked into the room with a red carpet towards two thrones that sat at the end of the room.

" Woah... It's like a castle here or something..."

" Yes. We built this to the master's preference. Wait for a few minutes while I get him here."

The boy entered another door at the side of the room as Yu and the others waited in front of the thrones.

" This feels so awkward..."

" But that Shadow asked us to come here so I'm sure that real guy must be here somewhere..."

" But where could he be? This place is almost empty when we came in."

" We'll have to search around then."

" What I'm more curious about is that door at the end of the hallway. Seems like it keeps a whole lot of secret inside."

" Yes. If we can at least request to stay here, maybe we can find out what that secret is."

" Meanwhile, let's see who this master is and find out more about why this whole city feels so eerie and weird..."

" I agree."

The boy came back out of the room as he kneeled down on one knee in front of the throne.

" The master will come out now."

" O-Oh!"

Naoto immediately got the message as she quickly followed suit before the others realised what was up before doing the same. Slowly, a man came out of the room and sat on the throne as his red eyes scanned all of them.

" This is the first time we're actually meeting an actual king!"

" I'm not sure if that's it, Teddie... But, never mind..."

" Your Majesty, these are the guests that have wandered into the building."

" Interesting. So I heard you came because you heard about this city?"

" Y-Yes, Y-Your Majesty..."

" I see. If I might ask, do you guys have any accommodations for tonight?"

" No, actually... We came by a whim since we've heard a whole lot about this city."

" Is that so? ... Takuto, prepare rooms for our guests. Let them stay for as long as they like with everything necessary provided."

" Yes, Your Majesty."

" U-Um, we..."

" It's alright. I don't mind taking in guests. What matters now is taking a rest from the long journey."

" It's already night, so it'll be best if you all rest for the night."

" I didn't know the time when we arrived here... Maybe that's why the city was so empty..."

" Oh, yeah... The trip took long hours from town..."

" So don't worry about it and take a nice rest in our rooms."

" T-Thank you very much, Your Majesty..."

" Takuto, please take over from here. We can talk about everything tomorrow morning."

" Yes, Your Majesty."

" Uh, so... I don't see the Queen around..."

" Ah, yes. The Queen is taking a much needed rest. I'm sure you'll be able to gain audience tomorrow if you'd like. For now, please take a rest."

" Y-Yes, Your Majesty..."

The man went back into the room as servants suddenly entered to lead them to their rooms. The girls were sleeping in the room across the guys' room as they went inside.

" Fancy!"

" But we didn't come here to relax! It's as if they knew we'd come or something and just pushed us in here! What if this is a trap?!"

" Agreed. Let's contact the girls and when the coast is clear outside, let's begin our real exploration of this place."

" Right!"

They contacted the girls and waited for when the coast was clear before going out of their rooms to meet.

" This place is definitely weird... Everything inside is packed, as if it was ready for us in the first place!"

" I know, it's the same for our room. I say let's hurry up to the top floor again. I'm definitely curious about that last room."

" Yeah!"

They managed to find the stairs as they started ascending the steps carefully and as quietly as possible. Suddenly, Thye heard running footsteps outside a nearby door as they listened in.

" The intruders have left their room!"

" Inform the leader immediately and find them at all costs! This is the order given to us from the very beginning! If they resist being put back into their confines, then use force if necessary!"

" Yes, sir!"

They silently gasped before looking at each other.

" I knew it! They were onto us!"

" Let's hurry before they notice we're here!"

" Yeah!"

They hurriedly ran up the steps and reached the top floor as they tried to navigate through the dark hallways carefully.

" Quick! I hear some of them coming!"

" Into that room!"

They entered a giant door as they quietly closed it.

" Oh crap! This is that last room we weren't allowed to enter! I'm sure they'll come here!"

" Let's hurry and find a hiding place before they come!"

They quickly scrambled to hide under an enclosed box laying on the ground as they shut the door on it and stayed silent.

" But why is this on the ground in the middle of the room?"

" How should I know?! Let's just hope they don't come in here!"

" Shh! I hear them!"

They heard running footsteps drawing closer before the door to the room opened and they gulped.

" Your Highness!"

" What?!"

" Yosuke, shut up!"

" Your Highness, are you hurt?!"

" W-Wait a minute... By 'Your Highness', do they mean..."

" T-The Queen?!"

" I-Is this the Queen's room?!"

" Crap... Let's hope the Queen was still taking a nap..."

They heard the light switch being hit and a groan before a shift was heard from above them.

" What is it...?"

" We have intruders lurking around, Your Highness. We were worried that you might've encountered them and gotten hurt in the process, so we came to check up on you."

" Unfortunately, I've been asleep and I didn't hear any entry to my room. I would've heard the intruders if there was a forced entry."

" I-I see. We're sorry to have interrupted your rest, Your Highness."

" It's fine. Now, hurry up and go somewhere else. The King would not be pleased if he sees you guys here. I wouldn't want to hear that he would issue out more punishments for entry to my room without permission."

" Yes, Your Highness! Please excuse us now!"

The door closed as they heaved a sigh of relief.

" N-Now, we just need the Queen to go back to sleep..."

" Oh, please... This better be quick..."

Silence was heard for awhile as they noticed the lights still weren't turned off, instead the lights were dimmed down so that they could still see a little before they heard the same voice.

" You guys can come out now. There's no one near this room anymore."

" H-Huh?"

" You're safe now. Please, come on out from under there."

They looked at each other and hesitated a little before slowly coming out from the door one by one. They noticed that the door was actually a hidden door from under a bed.

" Thank goodness all of you weren't hurt. I was worried about what was going to happen if you were."

They looked up at the figure on the bed as they gasped upon seeing the blue hair.

" You're..."

" I'm sorry, this cloth around my face is to help me a little with breathing. The atmosphere here isn't really all that good at night."

The figure removed the cloth covering the lower half of his face as they finally recognised the blue haired boy from their dream.

" Y-You're that Shadow's...!"

" Shadow?"

" A Shadow is, well, your other self. Your other self was calling for our help. About how you wanted to go back to a normal and happy life."

The boy flinched before thinking about it.

" I see... So that's why you came. This is complicated... But I would like to know why my... Uh, Shadow, would go to your guys. I see no reason why since we barely know each other since we've just met in reality."

" That's... true."

" We can go to the TV world to fight other Shadow using our Personas!"

" S-Straightforward much, Teddie?!"

" TV world? Personas?"

" That's the short story of it... Because in the past, we had our own Shadows because we couldn't accept our other self. Once we did, they become our Personas."

" I see. Well, I can't explain why my own Shadow said whatever he said to you for long..."

" Y-You're taking this information in really easily..."

" With all this stuff happening around us, I'm pretty much used to supernatural and stuff that are similar."

" What _is_ happening around us right now?"

" Like I said, this isn't the right place or time... You guys can't stay for long here either or they'll find you eventually... Teddie, was it?"

" That's me!"

" Come over here for awhile."

" Okay!"

Teddie walked over to the boy as the boy laid his hand on Teddie's head before closing his eyes. A faint blue aura was around him before it faded away soon after.

" Just now..."

" I see... So there's another reason why you came... To help fight in reality, you need my power."

" W-Wait, we haven't even got to that part!"

" Since we can't delay time, I decided to check your memories. I saw what you guys have said and I understand the situation fully now. These are what you all need, right?"

Glasses appeared in his hands as they each took one.

" T-They're the same!"

" Test them out later but be assured that this is a complete replica. You guys should be able to use your powers now. As for Teddie, I know your normal form isn't something you can wear glasses in so... Here."

A ribbon appeared this time as the boy tied it around Teddie's wrist.

" This should help you with summoning your Persona here. Now, you guys need to make your escape from here. Use the hidden door you guys hid in. It'll be your escape route."

" But there's nowhere to go from under there and what are we supposed to do now?"

" Don't worry. You'll see once you go inside again. As for what you're going to do from now on..."

The boy took out a pendant from around his neck and removed the clover shaped pendant but left the key pendant as it is before handing it to Yu.

" Since you're the leader, you should hold onto this. It'll help you from here on to where I'm going to tell you to go. There's a cardshop called Card Capital just down the street once you escape. There, you'll encounter a bit of problems but once it does happen, show this to them. You'll understand the situation from there."

" Okay."

" By the way, who are you?"

" I'm Aichi. Aichi Sendou. You don't have to tell me your names. I've seen Teddie's memories. Now go."

" R-Right..."

The hidden door was opened up after that.

" So you opened this for us?'

" I've been wary of people being asked to stay here by the supposed King here. Now, please hurry. I don't want them to come in and see you guys."

" Yeah..."

They went down the entrance that had been opened as they closed the door behind them after that. Aichi coughed a little while struggling to breathe as he wore back the cloth.

" Much better... Don't worry, your father will save us soon, I believe in him..." Aichi said, stroking his stomach a little

* * *

Meanwhile, in the underground passageway...

" I didn't think a secret passage would be here..."

" Yeah..."

" If he really is trapped here, why didn't he use this in the first place?"

" Plus, his bed was surrounded by more bed frames too. I wonder if they were worried that he would fall off the bed..."

" I don't understand either but it'll be better to ask the people we're going to meet soon."

" Right."

They found the exit as they opened the exit door and went outside before the door closed up. They were now in an alleyway, further down from the Tatsunagi Corporation.

" If we can use this again, I'm pretty sure we can go back up to where he is again."

" Yeah. Let's remember this passage and relay the message."

" Right!"

They ran down the street after that to search for the mentioned shop as it took a few minutes before they found it.

" This is it..."

" It's so dark, how can anyone be inside?"

" There should be another door since they locked the front one."

" Hey, guys! I found the backdoor!"

" Nice one, Teddie!"

Yu tried the door knob as it only shook a little.

" Locked."

" Then it's time for a little touch to open it. Yukiko-san, do you have a hair clip?"

" Yes, here you are."

Naoto took the hair clip and started to pick the lock on the door knob. They heard an unlocking noise before nodding to each other.

" That was great, Naoto!"

" When catching criminals, this much basic is required. Now, let's head inside."

" Okay!"

Naoto opened the door as they entered the shop while locking the door behind them again.

" Hello?! Anyone here?!"

" I-Idiot! Why are you shouting?!"

" We came to tell them we're allies, right?"

" Like they'll believe that so easily! First, we need to find signs of people!"

" But this is a small shop... So I don't see anyone."

Suddenly, Yu heard a small sound of movements as he finally saw a faint glint behind the counter.

" Duck down!"

The others crouched as an arrow shot above them.

" Crap, an attack?!"

" I knew this'll happen!"

" Fine then, we'll use force with force!"

" No, don't! We just need to let them know that we're not their enemies!"

" Hey! Whoever's there! We're not here to hurt you guys! We just came with super important message!"

A few more arrows shot from other directions as they dodged them.

" I... It's from someone called Aichi Sendou!"

Collective gasps were heard before the attacks stopped and the lights turned on. That was when they found themselves surrounded by people holding crossbows.

" H-Hey... Lay down those things a little... Please?"

" Who are you? Why do you know that name?"

" S-So... Are we good now?"

" No. We want your answer. Why do you know that name?!"

" W-Wait a minute! We're not your enemies, really!"

" We have the proof right here!"

Yu quickly took out the pendant that Aichi gave as the unknown figures froze up a little before another arrow was shot while they quickly avoided it.

" Kamui!"

" Why?! Why do you have Brother Aichi's...?!"

" Brother? You're his little brother?"

" Kamui, calm down! Everyone, hold your fire!"

The crossbows were lifted down as the lavender haired girl came out from the counter.

" Miwa, call him up. Ishida, bring Kamui downstairs. The rest of you, stay here together to keep an eye on them."

" Right."

As the three said people went down a secret passage, Yu and the others were still keeping their guard up just in case anything else happens.

" So, uh... Nice to meet you guys. We came from Inaba Town, you know, the town in the outskirts of Mount Fuji... Don't suppose you've heard of it?"

" That town that had those weird murders?"

" That's what the town's famous for now, huh..."

" Those incidents are long over already... There won't be anymore."

" You're that sure?"

" Yeah! We were the ones who stopped Adachi after all!"

" Teddie! Less details for now!"

" Oops..."

" Pretty ironic if that's true."

" Y-Yeah..."

Soon after, the yellow haired boy, Miwa, had gotten another brown haired boy up as they were greeted by a glare from the new boy.

" H-Hello..."

" Where is it?"

" Huh?"

" The pendant."

" You mean this?"

Yu showed him the pendant as it was snatched away by the boy as he inspected it. He then reached into his clothes and took out an almost similar key pendant like Aichi's with only a different color to the crystal imbedded on it. He moved the green center piece connecting the crystal petals together to the side as it revealed a keyhole.

" Woah... I didn't know that was even there."

The key was inserted as there was a click the moment the key was turned. The clover was flipped open as the boy pursed his lips, as if to contain his emotions before turning his back to them and towards the entrance of the underground passage.

" Let them in."

" So... We're all good, right?"

" Just get inside."

They were led inside the passage as the door closed behind them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aichi was back to sleeping on his bed when the door opened and someone flipped the light switch that was installed on Aichi's right bed frame. The person dimmed the lights a little before opening a small door on the bed frame. Aichi woke up to the noise and light as he got up and looked at the person, who was revealed to be the King.

" You're here... Void..."

" I just wanted to check up on how my dear Queen is doing. Are you still feeling unwell?"

" No, as long as I wear this cloth, I'm fine..."

" You look a little pale. Did you remove the cloth for awhile?"

" No, I didn't..."

" I see. I guess you're still not used to the energy flowing around the building."

" Of course not... I never agreed to join you after all..."

" But you had to, for the sake of the children inside you."

Void stroked Aichi's growing stomach as he smirked.

" I'm surprised you even agreed to keeping them."

" I won't let innocent lives be sacrificed just because of my hatred for you... There's still a week left for them..."

" And then, you'll try to make your escape again. Unfortunately, I won't let that happen. For now, since you're so obedient, I would consider permitting you to go outside this room after they are born. But to think, you'd be carrying twins on the very first try."

" If there's nothing else, then please get out..."

" Of course. By the way, you never encountered any intruders, did you?"

" No, I didn't... I've been asleep..."

" Is that so? Well, you do seem like you've been asleep since you look so pale from carrying our children for so long."

" It doesn't make any better that you don't lift this energy you've placed around this room... I've been weaker ever since I carried them... If you want us to be safe during birth, consider lifting it..."

" Don't forget why I placed up the energy in the first place. If you hadn't been so fidgety the first time you were here, I didn't need to put this up to make you weak and vulnerable. Why did you think I even made that special cloth to help you? Why can't you understand the love I put into everything for you?"

" Love...? I wouldn't have known that an entity like you would carry that emotion... By the way, I've said that they could be coming out in another week but as an advice, don't underestimate the time of birth..."

" It's exactly nine months after all. It couldn't be early or late."

" I'd like to see your face when the time does come..."

Aichi suddenly winced after he said that as Void realised something wasn't right. He turned on the lights to bright as he checked on Aichi to see water leaking out of his pants.

" No way..."

" I told you..."

" Just stay still! I'll get a doctor right now!"

Just as Void left, the pressure Aichi had been feeling for a long time was lifted as he was breathing even more easier while waiting for medical help to arrive.

* * *

At the underground base under the shop... Yu and the others were being stared at by several people in the meeting room as the browned haired boy finally came back.

" We've confirmed that this is definitely Aichi's. So now our question is, why do you have it? And what message were you talking about?"

" Uh, how do we say this? He told us to come here to get the situation filled in."

" How was Aichi when you guys saw him?"

" He looked fine actually, minus the part where he said the atmosphere around the building at night makes him really uncomfortable."

" I'm pretty sure since you're not a cardfighter, you can't really sense the energy surrounding that building. I feel a little dizzy just going near it."

" Cardfighter?"

" We'll stop at there. Since Aichi was really the one who told you to come here, then we'll agree and fill you guys in."

" Where can we start... Well, if you've went into the building then I'm pretty sure you've encountered Void."

" Void?"

" He introduces himself as the King now, acting all high and mighty. Anyways, this is actually the third time he's invaded this world."

" Third time?!"

" The first two ended up in a failure because Aichi was the one who saved us but this time, they became thorough. They recreated that Takuto and once again, trapped the real Takuto somewhere. Then they captured Aichi and he's been a captive ever since. It's been a whole year now..."

" A whole year?!"

" Why is it that you guys couldn't make a move?"

" Don't you guys notice the barrier around that place? It stops us cardfighters from entering that building."

" So that feeling we got from entering the building..."

" ... was the barrier, I'm sure."

" Anyway, we've been trying ever since but nothing ever worked. The enemy was soon growing stronger, so we built this base so that at the very least, we can still be a little more safe."

" Since you guys found a way out of there, I don't suppose there's a way to go back in?"

" There should be. We can show you."

" No, right now, it's too late for that. We'll give you guys accommodations for now while we discuss our next step, now that we have a clue to saving Aichi."

" Can we join you?"

" And what can you guys possibly do? You're non cardfighters. You'll be defenceless inside there."

" Not exactly."

" Yeah! Thanks to Aichi, we can use our Personas now!"

" Persona?"

" Teddie!"

" Oops, sorry..."

" Well, it definitely is true that Aichi has awakened to some powers. I think after staying inside that building for so long, he's been adapting to them and improving them secretly."

" That's Aichi alright."

" Now that everything here is cleared... Let's head to the rooms. Follow me."

They followed Naoki out of the meeting room and to their own rooms as they were also separated.

" We have extra clothes so feel free to use 'em. Also, the dining room is down the hallway. There's a sign so it shouldn't be hard to spot."

" Right, thanks."

Naoki left after that.

" Well, I guess we should sleep for now. Night, guys."

" Good night."

They entered their rooms and got ready for bed.

* * *

An hour later, at the Tatsunagi building... Two wails were heard from a room further down from Aichi's room as Aichi was panting on the bed while covering in sweat.

" Congratulations, Your Highness. They're both boys."

" There aren't any complications to his health after this, are there?"

" Thankfully, no. His Highness was strong enough to go through with the birth and come out unharmed with the babies."

" Thank goodness... Sanitize his room and transfer them back there as soon as possible."

" Yes, Your Majesty."

The doctor left as Void went to check on Aichi.

" How are you feeling, dear?"

" ... Let me see them... The babies..."

" Alright."

Void signalled the nurses to bring the wailing babies after washing off the blood as they were placed beside Aichi.

" They look like sweet little angels..."

" That's a cute way of putting it coming from you."

Aichi patted the two babies as they stopped wailing after feeling his touch. Aichi smiled a little before falling asleep with his arm still around the babies.

" Is his room ready for him to go back in?"

" Yes, Your Majesty."

" Then do the transfer now but try not to wake them up and then ask the doctor to do a final check before he's released."

" Yes, Your Majesty."

" Rest well, Aichi."

Giving Aichi's hair a few more gentle strokes, Void left the room to let the nurses do the transfer and the night deepened.

* * *

And that's the end of this chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and I'll see everyone in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello, everyone! This is a new chapter! Chapter 2! I hope everyone will enjoy this new story and without further ado, let's start!

Normal POV

The next morning, Yu and the others had woken up and met outside their rooms to go into the dining hall for breakfast. However, it was still empty when they arrived.

" Hello? Anyone here?"

" I guess no one wakes up this early, huh..."

" Hey, wait... Do you guys smell that?"

The scent had came from the kitchen as the brown haired boy came out with plates of omelette in his hands. He then glanced at them a little before setting the plates down and going back to the kitchen to grab just enough for their group. He then headed back inside the kitchen as silence continued to fill the room.

" So... I guess we're cool?"

" He's one weird guy..."

" Yay! Let's eat!"

They sat at the table as they started eating their omelette.

" Man! It's so delicious!"

" Yeah!"

" He could rival your cooking, partner."

" I don't compete."

" Guess so."

Soon, the boy came back out with drinks as he set them down individually in front of them before heading back in.

" How does he know I like coffee?"

" He even brought all of us drinks that we would've liked."

" Yay! Juice!"

" Hey, he was glancing at us just now before we sat down."

" He could tell with that one glance?"

" That's amazing if it is."

" Yes, that would definitely be amazing since it's close to detective level to just know our interests with one glance."

The door opened again as the other people they saw the day before entered.

" Mornin'! Huh? There's only you guys in here?"

" Uh, yeah."

The boy came out with their plates as well after hearing their voices as he set the plates down quickly and went back into the kitchen to grab their drinks before going back inside again.

" Don't worry about him. He's been like that ever since Aichi was captured."

" But why?"

" Just like all of us. We've been blaming ourselves for letting Aichi get caught by the enemy but Kai took it harder than all of us combined."

" No wonder he looks so lonely..."

" Well, you got Aichi's pendant to him so it's all good now. You've just assured him that Aichi's well and still waiting!"

" And I think he can't wait to discuss with you guys about getting him out of there."

" He should've just told us."

" It's hard to hear those words from his mouth, honestly. He's always stubborn to admit it."

" I see..."

The boy came back out after awhile as he looked at Naoki and the others.

" We know, we know. You've finished cooking for everyone that are still not here yet and want us to go to the meeting room by 10, right?"

" Hmph."

The boy left the dining hall after that as Miwa sighed.

" We've sure known him for long to know what he's thinking..."

" Well, he's been predictable ever since Aichi was gone after all. He's that desperate."

" Hey, not to offend him or anything but hearing you guys talking about both of them... You talk like they swing that way."

" Oh? Figured it out, huh?"

" Seriously?! Hey, Kanji-"

" Shut up already! Could you stop with all that?!"

" R-Right, sorry..."

They finished their breakfast and decided to go explore the place.

" Remember! The meeting is at 10!"

" Okay!"

They went off after that as Naoki and the others continued their breakfast.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Tatsunagi building, Aichi had also woken up as the nurses checked on his condition before he turned to the babies laid beside him.

" How are they...?"

" They woke up just a few minutes ago so we fed them some milk before they went back to sleep again."

" I see... Where's His Majesty?"

" His Majesty came here just now to check on the three of you before he went to his daily meeting. Is there a message you want to pass to him?"

" No, I just wanted to know..."

" I see. Then, I'll be watching over you and the Young Masters. I'll also be teaching you the basics of baby care."

" Yes, please do..."

" However, it won't be now. You still need your rest, Your Highness."

" No, it's fine... I'm feeling much better so don't hesitate to teach me now..."

" Alright then."

" And just a question... Have they been named yet...?"

" No. His Majesty wanted to discuss with you about this after his meeting."

" Oh, I see... Then since that's the case, can we begin the baby care training...?"

" Of course."

Although clumsy at first, Aichi smiled happily as he continued to watch his two babies while being taught about baby care.

" You learn well, Your Highness."

" I can't just leave everything to all of you every time... Once I'm feeling even better, I want to do everything myself if that's alright with you..."

" Of course. Don't hesitate to call us for help if you need it."

" I will..."

Suddenly, the light blue haired baby started to wail as Aichi picked him up.

" Shh, it's okay. Don't cry."

The baby's wails started to reduce to sniffles as Aichi giggled.

" What a good boy."

" This is the older twin while the other one sleeping is the younger one. There are ways to tell what the baby wants. Look closely."

Aichi looked down at the baby as he saw him trying to put the gloved hand into his mouth.

" Other than loud wails, they would do this to tell you that they're hungry."

" So this glove is to prevent germs from going into their mouths...?"

" Not really. It's to prevent them from injuring themselves with their fingernails when they rub themselves, especially on their faces. Oh, now he's trying to latch onto the milk inside you."

Aichi looked down again as he saw the baby moving his mouth near his chest.

" I have milk...?"

" They can sort of sense it so I'll slowly teach you about feeding them yourself. But will you be alright with it?"

" Yes, of course..."

The nurse nodded as she slowly teached Aichi about feeding the baby by himself or with the milk bottle.

" How much milk do they usually drink...?"

" The amount usually increases when they grow up, so you'll be able to tell if they cry for more."

" So this is okay...?"

" Yes."

" It feels weird feeding him like this..."

" But this helps with bonding with your children, it feels different with a milk bottle."

" ... Yeah, you might be right... He looks even cuter when I look at him this way..."

They waited a few more minutes as Aichi suddenly saw the baby pushing his head away.

" He stopped drinking, so... Did he finish already...?"

" Yes. When they push it away, fall asleep or turn away, it means that they're full. Now, you should burp them after every meal so that they won't have unnecessary air build up in their stomachs. Just lean him on your shoulder and support his head and with it. Use a cloth just in case he might feel uncomfortable. Then gently swipe your hand upwards along his back."

" Like this...?"

Aichi did as instructed as he heard a burp soon after.

" That sounded like a nice burp..."

" Yes, it does."

" Oh but, how do I know if they need a diaper change or if they're sleepy...?"

" It'll be simple to tell. For a diaper change, they will cry and then their diaper will be a little heavy. When they're sleepy and need some comfort, they'll cry or rub their eyes with their hands, just like when they're hungry, they would try to suckle their hands."

" I see..."

" Now, you should clean up after every feeding so there's no germ build up."

" Okay..."

The nurse opened the door on the bed frame as she helped Aichi over to the bathroom to clean up a little. A few moments later, he was brought back to the bed as the door was closed again.

" Thank you for your help... I wouldn't have known on what to do if you didn't teach..."

" That's my duty. Please, take a rest now, Your Highness."

" I just have one more question... Would it be better if they were fed like just now at night time too...?"

" It depends but if you want a more comfortable night, you'd need to change to feeding them with milk bottles at night. Because if a baby gets used to only your milk every day, they'll pester you through their cries and refuse formula milk. That would cause an even larger kind of lack of sleep. You might suffer a little because you might not feel it now, but sooner or later, a little bit of pain might sting you when you feed them like just now."

" I see... I won't mind the pain since it's for them... But I guess I do need to look out for my own health too, huh..."

" Yes. If you follow my suggestion and do these frequently, it won't be too difficult for you when it comes to baby care after a few more months."

" Alright then... I'll follow your suggestion then... Thank you..."

" It's just my duty, Your Highness."

The door opened as Void entered and the nurses inside the room bowed.

" Your Majesty."

" I presume you've finished nursing and teaching my Queen? I would like our private time now, if you don't mind."

" Yes, Your Majesty."

" We'll take our leave now, Your Highness."

" Yes, of course..."

The nurses left as Aichi started to swaddle the baby back into the cloth he was wrapped in. Void went over to his side and opened the door on the bed frame before sitting on the bed to look at the babies sleeping beside Aichi.

" How are you feeling?"

" Better than yesterday..."

" I see. So how are you coping with baby care?"

" Just fine..."

" So you're doing much better without the energy, I see."

" Of course I am... If you still have the energy put up around here, I wouldn't even be able to sit up so easily..."

" You're one strong boy, being able to sit up so quickly after only the first day of birth."

" I won't take that as a compliment, at least not from you..."

" Don't be so cold. You're my queen and you've just given birth to our sons. Why would I not give you a compliment?"

" The fact that I've never agreed to being your queen in the first place... I was forced by you... There was never a relationship between us..."

" But if you say that, then that means that I'll have to disregard these two babies since you say you're not mine. If that's it, then these two aren't mine either. You know, Aichi, I can just throw these two away and keep having my fun with you until you break."

" Don't you dare lay any harm on them...! I won't forgive you if you do...!"

" Unless you agree to submit to me, then I won't do anything to them. Even if you do refuse and I throw them away, I could still always make you birth more."

" I won't let you...!"

Aichi winced as he touched his stomach.

" Now, now, don't act up so suddenly. You just gave birth and haven't fully recovered yet."

" If you were their father... You'd never say these things...!"

" If I were, of course. Really, Aichi, think about it. If I were their father..." Void said, leaning into Aichi's ear, " Then why does one of them have brown hair?"

Aichi gasped as Void pulled away.

" I'm not that dumb to not figure something like that out. Sure, one of them might have my genes since I forced myself into you after Toshiki Kai got into you first but it wouldn't make sense to keep the other one that obviously has his genes, right?"

" I won't let you touch them...! If you do... I won't let you touch me again either...!"

" And what can you do in this powerless state of yours?"

Aichi smirked a little as he looked up at Void.

" Did you really think I was fine after giving birth like that...? I think you should know by now that I have awakened to my own powers, so it'd be easy to hide it from the doctor..."

" You wouldn't!"

" Of course, I was already healing myself by then for the sake of these babies but now that you've threatened to harm them, there's no reason to keep this from you either, now would I...?"

" You're lying...!"

" I'm not lying... I don't lie ever since I've been locked in here... So I dare you, harm these babies and I will take my own life...!"

" Not if I seal those powers of yours! I've been lenient with you but now it seems like I'll have to take drastic measures to keep you in place!"

" If you do, then I would be dying already... Don't forget, I'm healing myself with my own powers... You won't be able to find the source, only I can... Seal my powers and my life will be gone... Your little Queen will not exist... I told you before, didn't I...? I'm not your little playtoy, Void... And I will never be..."

" You little...!"

" And even if I don't have any complications after birth, I could still find a way to take my own life... So you decide, either you throw them away and lose me or you just stay away from them and I stay alive..."

Void grabbed Aichi's wrists as black lightning started to surge around him.

" I'll seal all of it! And then, there won't be anything getting in my way of me toying around with you! You're my Queen and you will be obedient to me!"

Aichi winced as blood started to spill out from his mouth and Void stopped his powers.

" What's wrong...? Weren't you going to seal everything...? I told you, seal my powers and my life will be a forfeit..."

" You won't do such a thing! After all, it's all about Toshiki Kai in that mind of yours! So if you die, then you're not afraid that he'll be dragged into despair?!"

" He won't... I believe in him... He will exact revenge on you until the very end if I die... I will wait for him no matter how long it takes... And these babies are the proof of that... So, like I said, take them away from me and I won't hesitate to end everything... I am one of the reasons this war even started anyway... If I end myself, then all of your ambitions would just be on a stand still..."

Void tried to regain his composure as he threw a handkerchief on Aichi's lap before closing the door and locking it with a black ring before leaving the room while slamming the door shut. Aichi heaved a sigh of relief as he leaned on the bed frame and took out his own handkerchief to wipe the blood off his mouth.

 _" I was so afraid it wouldn't work... Ow... I bit my tongue too hard... But it had to be done to deceive Void long enough to protect these precious little babies..."_ Aichi thought

" I won't let him touch you two... You two are your father's and my hope... So, I'll protect you two even if it costs my own life... I'm sure your father will come for us soon... I believe in him after all..."

Putting his arm around the babies, Aichi laid down and continued to watch over them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yu and the others were now gathered in the meeting room as they saw more people inside with a few screens lit up, showing more people.

" So these are the ones who came yesterday to relay Sendou's message?"

" Yeah."

" Why don't we introduce ourselves since we didn't get to yesterday? I'm Taishi Miwa and this guys here is Toshiki Kai!"

" Hmph."

" I'm Naoki Ishida!"

" I'm Shingo Komoi."

" Misaki Tokura."

" I'm Kenji Mitsusada. But you can call me Koutei."

" I'm Yuri Usui and this is my little brother, Gai Usui."

" Hello."

" Hello! I'm Ren Suzugamori! Calling in from the Foo Fighters HQ!"

" I'm calling in from my own island, I'm Leon Souryuu."

" And I'm calling in from the Singapore base called SIT. I'm Christopher Lo but you can call me Chris."

" Tch!"

" Kamui, just introduce yourself."

" ... Kamui Katsuragi..."

" So what are your names?"

" Yu Narukami."

" I'm Yosuke Hanamura."

" I'm Chie Satonaka."

" I am Yukiko Amagi."

" I'm Kanji Tatsumi!"

" Hello there! I'm Rise Kujikawa!"

" I'm Naoto Shirogane."

" And I'm Teddie! Nice to meet everyone!"

" Now that we know everyone, we'd like to know what's your intention, Kai."

" We're going to break in. From the hidden door these guys found thanks to Aichi helping in their escape. That hidden door should help us in avoiding the barrier."

" I see. Then do you need backup?"

" We might need some to guard the door."

" Don't worry, just leave everything to us! We'll definitely help you get him out of there! Trust us!"

" They seem confident. What do you think?"

" ... It's too early to say. But if they'd survived in that building, then... Get ready to head out."

" Okay!"

" Funny. This is the first time you've ever agreed to some strangers helping you out, Kai."

" Sendou sure has changed you a lot."

" Shut up. I'll grab a communicator to tell you guys of any news."

" Right."

Yu and the others got ready as Kai soon came up to the shop. They exited from the back door and locked it before showing Kai to where they found the door in the alley.

" This should be it."

" I don't see a door."

" It's pretty well hidden since it closed up on itself."

" Leave it to me!"

Rise took out her glasses and put it on as her Arcana card floated down. She crushed it and Himiko appeared.

" What's that?!"

" Don't worry, we'll explain more later. See anything, Rise?"

" Yes. There's some sort of mechanism just beside the door. Just tap that wall over here and it should appear."

" Here?"

Yu tapped the wall Rise pointed to as a diagram showed up.

" Whoa!"

" This is... I'll do it."

Kai rotated the diagram until it looked like a drawing of a sort of circle as the door opened.

" He did it with one try?!"

" This is a Vanguard Circle used by Cardfighters. It's simple to get it right."

" I-I see..."

Himiko disappeared after her job was done as Rise removed her glasses and they proceeded into the hidden room. Soon, they reached a wall as Kai tapped it.

" Doesn't look like there's a mechanism near here."

" Could you check again, Rise?"

" I would but Himiko can't fit in this tight space."

" I wonder..."

" You said Aichi is just up here, right? Then..."

Kai knocked on the wall above them in a rhythm as they waited a few moments before the wall started moving. They walked up the stairs that formed as Kai opened the door and they all got out.

" Kai... kun...?"

Kai flinched at the voice as he turned to the bed to see Aichi.

" Aichi..."

" You... You came..."

" Aichi...!"

Kai ran towards Aichi and hugged him as Aichi returned the hug.

" I can't believe it... You actually came..."

" I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long..."

" No, it's fine... You're here now... That's all that matters..."

" Yeah... Let's get you out of here."

Kai released the hug as he saw the black ring keeping the door on the bed frame locked. He quickly broke it and opened the door as he helped Aichi out. Kai looked behind Aichi as he gasped after seeing the babies.

" Those are..."

" Oh... It's hard to explain... I guess... We got lucky..."

" You mean..."

" They're ours... They came out just yesterday..."

" No way..."

" What is it?"

Chie and Yukiko went to check what was going on first as they gasped.

" No way!"

" Aw! They're adorable!"

Yu and the others came forward after that as they also had the same reaction.

" They're like Nanako but they're so small..."

" I didn't like babies at first but seeing them this close can change my mind... I mean, Nanako's cute too..."

" They're so cute... I could pat them all day..."

" They look so cute yet so fragile... But they're also wonderful..."

" I would like to touch them myself... It's just a sense of curiousity but..."

" Aw! They're like the cutest things in the whole world! So these are the human babies you guys spoke of before!"

" I want to escape with everyone but I can't leave them alone either... Void figured out they're not his and he even threatened to dispose of them... I can't let them stay in a place this dangerous..."

" How mean of that guy!"

" Don't worry, Aichi-san! We'll protect them for you, just leave everything to us!"

" Yeah!"

" Thank you, everyone..."

" Get on my back then. I'll carry you back to everyone."

" Okay..."

Aichi got onto Kai's back as he carried him up.

" How do you feel?"

" It's comfortable and warm..."

" Then I'll leave the babies to you guys for now."

" Right!"

" I see so many baby supplies though... Alright, guys, do your work! Gather every single baby supplies and let's get out of here!"

" U-Us?!"

" Yeah, hurry up!"

" R-Right!"

The guys went to carry all the baby supplies in every bag they could find as the room was soon cleared out.

" P-Phew... My back could break with all these bags..."

" This could last at least a few years..."

" I wouldn't think so..."

The door suddenly opened as a nurse had entered and she gasped.

" Intruders! They've taken the Queen and Young Masters!"

" Crap! Let's get out of here quickly!"

Chie and Yukiko carried the babies as they ran down the hidden passageway and started to escape the alley.

" There's already so many Reversed fighters swarming around! We need to get to the shop!"

" R-Right!"

They ran to Card Capital as they entered the back door before they put down the bags of baby supplies while panting. Naoto quickly locked the door after entering as they tried to catch their breath.

" We should be safe for now..."

" Aichi, are you okay?"

" Yes, I'm fine... But you're sweating so much..."

" I'm fine."

" The babies seem to be doing alright too."

" No, wait..."

They heard footsteps as they realised that they were surrounded.

" They've surrounded us!"

" We need to get rid of them or they'll try to take them back again!"

" Come on, partner! We're going out there to stop them!"

" Yeah!"

" I'm going too, Senpai!"

" Me too!"

" Sensei, I'm going too!"

" Then, leave the analysing to me!"

" Yukiko and Chie, stay in here to protect them!"

" Leave it to us!"

" Don't hurt them too bad! Some of them are just possessed by Void!"

" Okay!"

The six ran outside as their cards floated down the moment they put on their glasses as they also crushed them.

" Izanagi!"

" Jiraiya!"

" Take-mikazuchi!"

" Sukuna-Hikona!"

" Kintoki-Douji!"

" Himiko!"

" Everyone, get them!"

" Yeah!"

Their attacks landed as the Reversed fighters quickly made their retreat. That was when black mist surrounded the area.

" Looks like the boss is here!"

" Everyone, brace yourselves!"

" Be careful, everyone! This enemy is powerful!"

Void appeared from the mist as he smirked.

" I am surprised by your power but this measly power isn't enough to defeat me."

" We'll see about that!"

Their Personas attacked again as Void just placed up a shield and the attacks were blocked.

" No way!"

" I told you, measly power like this can't defeat me."

" What are we going to do?!"

" I don't know! Our attacks ain't doin' anything to this guy!"

" Return my queen or you won't see the light of the day again. Not like there's any left in this city anyway."

" Not a chance!"

Inside the shop, Kai and the others saw the whole commotion.

" I'm going out to help!"

" Wait, Chie! Like they said, our attacks don't work against that guy! There won't be any difference if you go out too!"

" But..."

Aichi suddenly stood up as Kai supported him.

" Aichi?"

" Let me go outside..."

" What?! No, it's too risky!"

" Don't worry about me... I'll be fine... Right, Kai-kun...?"

" But I..."

" You believe in me, don't you...?"

Kai nodded and let Aichi go outside as the doors opened up.

" What are you doing?!"

" It's me he wants... There's no use wasting your powers on him..."

" You know me well, Aichi. Now, let's go."

" I never said I was going with you..."

" I see, so you're going to resist to the very end with me again, aren't you? Fine then. Let's do this the hard way."

Void sent out the black mist to capture Aichi as a shield suddenly blocked it.

" What?!"

" I knew it... You've always been with me, haven't you...?"

His Shadow appeared in front of him as the shield dissipated.

" His Shadow?! Here, in reality?!"

" But how is that possible?!"

" I remembered what Narukami-kun and his friends said... That you called for their help for me... A Shadow is my other self... The one that hides my true feelings... Thank you for being there for me..."

" It is... a given."

" Because you are me... Right...?"

His Shadow nodded as it turned into his Persona. A black haired winged man with traditional clothing, carrying a book and orb in both hands.

" Thank you, Hitoe... I hope we can work together to overcome this..."

Hitoe turned into a card as it entered Aichi and he collapsed. Yu ran over to pick him up as the others ran to them as well.

" Aichi-san!"

Void sent out black must again as the barrier blocked it.

" What?! It's still up?!"

" I thought it'd disappeared already!"

" That's Hitoe's power..."

" Hitoe?"

" My Persona... He put up a stronger and bigger barrier around the shop... Now, nobody can be harmed anymore..."

Kai ran out of the shop at that time as Yu handed Aichi over to him.

" Kai-kun..."

" You did great."

" Thank you for believing in me..."

" Yeah. You should take a rest now."

" Okay..."

Aichi fell asleep as they looked over to Void.

" You lose this time, Void. And we will give you a counter attack once we're ready."

" Oh, rest assured, Toshiki Kai. I won't lose the next time I come back for him! After all, we are still at war!"

Void disappeared after that as they went down to the underground hideout.

" Kai, you're back!"

" And that's..."

" Brother Aichi...!"

" He's asleep right now. I'll be bringing him back to my room."

" R-Right..."

" Oh and Kai..." Miwa said, a cheeky grin on his face, " You better explain the babies afterwards."

Kai blushed a little as he turned away.

" Shut up..."

Following Kai to his room, they set the bags with the baby supplies down on a corner of the room as they looked around.

" Man, this place is bigger than our own rooms."

" Well, we should be glad it's bigger. Now they have a lot more room to take care of the babies."

" Yeah."

They looked over to the bed where Kai was checking up on Aichi and the babies as Aichi woke up.

" Hey."

" Kai-kun..."

" You were quick on waking up."

" I guess I'm somewhat used to the exhaustion already..."

" Well, take a long rest for now. You need it."

" No, I'm fine..."

Aichi turned to see Yu and the others as he smiled.

" Thank you, all of you... If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to make it back..."

" No, it's our pleasure."

" We'll leave you two alone then. And we'll come visit the babies later when you're feeling better."

" You're welcome to..."

They nodded as they left the room. Suddenly, the brown haired baby started wailing as Kai panicked.

" Wai- What- Uh..."

" Calm down... Could you remove the cloth around him a little so that we can see his arms...?"

" R-Right..."

Kai carefully removed the cloth around the baby as the hands immediately went into his mouth.

" What's he doing?"

" Hands going into his mouth means he's hungry... We need to feed him his milk..."

" I-I'll go make some then!"

" No, it's fine..."

Aichi sat up with some difficulty as he unbuttoned his shirt while Kai stared on with a deep blush on his face.

" W-W-What are you doing, Aichi?"

" Huh...? Feeding the baby..."

" By taking off your shirt...?"

Aichi blinked before giggling after realising about what Kai was thinking about as he took the baby and started feeding him.

" So basically... You can feed them milk through there too?"

" Yeah... They said it strengthens the bond for both of us... I already fed the other one before you came to rescue us... I was wordering when this one would wake up for his own feeding..."

" I-I see... So, they're not named yet?"

" No... I haven't thought up of one yet..."

" Then let's think together."

" Yeah, sounds good..."

Kai nodded as he carried the other baby while sitting beside Aichi.

" I'm actually worried about the one you're carrying... I heard from the nurse that he has red eyes... I'm worried that he really has some of Void's genes inside him..."

" Red eyes? That reminds me... My father had red eyes too."

" Kai-kun's father?"

" Yeah. I never really inherited it but what if this one never has inherited Void's genes? What if it's just the genes of my father within me mixed in with my own genes?"

" If that's the case... I really want it to be true... I don't want them to know that they have the genes of a destroyer..."

" That's true. But don't worry, I'll still cherish them both. You birthed them after all. Even if half of their genes weren't from me, it doesn't matter. What matters the most to me now is that you and these two are safe."

" Thank you..."

" Now, let's think up of a name... What's the eye color for this one then?"

" I think they were blue..."

" Then this one is easy. Let's name him Daichi."

" Daichi... I like it... But what about the one you're carrying...?"

" This one is tricky... Hm... How about Tasuku?"

" Tasuku... Daichi... I like those names..."

" Yeah. But who's the older one? They're twins, right?"

" Tasuku-kun is the older one..."

" I see."

Daichi pushed away after awhile as Aichi burped him before putting him down to swaddle him again.

" How did you know he was done with his meal?"

" He pushed away after having his fill..."

" So that's how we know they're done drinking their milk, huh?"

" Yeah..."

" Let's get you cleaned up then. I'll bring you to the bathroom."

" Sure..."

Kai helped Aichi to the bathroom as he waited for Aichi to get cleaned up before bringing him back to the bed.

" Oh, look... They're both opening their eyes..."

" They do look really cute."

" Hello there, Tasuku-kun, Daichi-kun... You know what...? Your father saved us just like I said he would... Can you see him...?"

" They might still be a little young to see from this distance."

" Yeah, I guess so..."

That was when Tasuku smiled for a split moment.

" He smiled!"

" That's so cute..."

" To think he could smile that quickly..."

" I heard they learn by mimicking our smiles... But then does that mean Tasuku-kun can see us...?"

" That shouldn't be possible..."

" Oh well... I'm just glad all of us are back together again... I missed you, Kai-kun..."

" Me too, Aichi. I'm sorry you had to suffer for so long because of Void."

" No... I had them within me to give me hope... Now that they're born, I feel even more hope flowing into me... I'm sure we'll bring this city back to normal again... We have to... Before this energy from Void spreads to the whole world..."

" Because Void is staying in this place, the energy is at its strongest here. You're right. Before his energy spreads to the black rings around the whole world, let's stop him together."

" Yeah... I love you, Kai-kun..."

" I love you too, Aichi."

Kai embraced Aichi and kissed him. The days passed after that...

* * *

And that's the end of this chapter! Thank you for reading! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and I'll see everyone in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, everyone! This is a new chapter! Chapter 3! I hope everyone will enjoy this new chapter and without further ado, let's start!

Normal POV

Three days later, Yu and the guys had just finished walking around as they went to the dining room for lunch to see only Kai there, drinking his coffee while the two babies were on the baby rockers.

" Morning..."

" Oh, you're awake."

" Have you seen the girls?"

" They're inside the kitchen. They said something about making lunch together."

" W-Wait, what?! And you _let_ them in?!"

" I don't see any problem. Besides, Aichi's inside too. What? Are you that worried about their cooking?"

" Well, yeah! They'll drive us to unconsciousness again if we eat their cooking!"

" I see... Not to worry though. Aichi's inside so it shouldn't be any problem. They just decided to join him when they arrived."

" B-But..."

" Look, if you're that worried, just go on and take a look inside to assure yourselves."

They looked at each other as Kai continued to drink his coffee. They went to sneak a peek in the kitchen as they saw the girls chatting with Aichi.

" So you girls cooked omurice before too?"

" Yeah. Although, it didn't actually turn out too well..."

" It really tasted awful..."

" Don't worry. If you'd like, I can teach all of you now."

" Really?!"

" Yeah, I don't mind."

" I like spicy and mature flavor!"

" Hey, he's nice enough to teach us, so don't ask for so much!"

" No, it's fine. I prepared many things for all the people in this base. Rise-san and Naoto-san, could you two help me get the bowls of beaten eggs and beef broth in the fridge?"

" Sure!"

They took the bowls out and placed it beside the frying pan as Aichi checked on the big pot he left to boil. Upon removing the lid, an aromatic scent filled the kitchen.

" Wow, that smells so good!"

" It's the demi glace sauce for the omelette. You girls can help me taste test them."

" Okay!"

They each took a spoon as they tried the sauce.

" It's delicious!"

" I'm glad. Now then... I think other than Rise-san's preference, since she told me already, I might be able to figure out your preferences. Let's see..."

Aichi scooped out a bowl of rice as he poured some of the broth into the pan and started to fry some diced onions and beef into it. He then added the rice and started frying before setting it on a plate to one side. He then poured the egg mixture and waited for it to fry a little in the pan before putting the rice on top and formed the omelette shape while giving it a quick flip. He then placed it on the same plate and poured some of the demi glace sauce over it before handing it to Naoto.

" Will this be alright for you?"

" Y-Yes..."

" That was fast."

" Now for the next..."

Aichi did the same steps but without putting in diced onions as he quickly finished the second omelette rice and set it in another plate.

" Yukiko-san. This is yours."

" T-Thank you!"

Aichi did the next one with more beef inside it as he handed it to Chie. He then headed to the fridge to grab a small chilli pepper as he washed it before taking the chopping board and knife. He then slowly and carefully removed the seeds inside before chopping it up finely. He then started the fire and poured the broth and the chopped chilli pepper in. He let it boil a little before adding the other ingredients and rice. Once he was done with the fourth plate, he handed it to Rise.

" I hope it won't be too spicy for you."

Aichi glanced to the door to see the guys scurrying to take their seats before hiding a slight giggle. He then started cooking for the rest before handing them to the girls. The girls headed outside and gave the plates to the guys.

" That looks delicious!"

" But what about Aichi-san?"

" I don't know..."

A few moments later, Aichi came out with two more plates for him and Kai as he set the plates down on the table.

" Extra onion, just like you like it. I'm still surprised you don't just add extra onions to your curry."

" It makes the sauce taste better."

" I know."

Aichi removed his apron and folded it before setting it on the table.

" You guys don't need to wait for us. Dig in before the food gets cold."

" R-Right!"

Aichi went to check on the babies while the others dug into their food.

" Wow, this _is_ delicious!"

" Agreed."

" I can't believe this was made with so little ingredients!"

" It's amazing."

" All it took was that one chilli pepper to make this flavour?!"

" I could eat this all day and it re-energises lost energy!"

" This is definitely one of the most delicious meal I've ever eaten."

" Uh huh! It's delicious!"

Aichi took his seat after making sure the babies were still peacefully sleeping and the others liked their meal as Kai took his first bite too.

" You've improved quite a bit. I guess you've never really forgetten what I taught even in captive, huh?"

" Of course not. I get by thanks to those memories."

" Me too, I guess... But are you sure you don't want to take a rest? You've been up on these few nights because they've been waking up for feeding."

" No. I'm really fine. Besides, I'm already quite used to it. Even when I was carrying them, they still had ways to keep me up all night."

" Don't exhaust yourself then. Tell me anything if you need help or if you're feeling unwell."

" I will."

They continued eating as Aichi quickly finished up and just in time before Tasuku started wailing. Kai got up from his seat to comfort him while Aichi wiped his mouth and took over.

" There, there. Are you hungry, Tasuku-kun? I'll give you your milk so wait for awhile. Could you help me take over kitchen duties if the others come over for awhile?"

" Take your time, Aichi. Don't need to rush. I'll do the kitchen duty for you, don't worry."

" Thank you, Kai-kun."

Aichi went to feed Tasuku as a few minutes passed. Kai finished his own meal when Daichi also started wailing. Kai quickly picked him up and started rocking him.

" Shh, Daichi. Guess you're hungry too. I'll bring you over to your mother first."

Kai rushed back to their room as he ran back to the dining room just in case his other friends showed up. Ren was also there as he waved to Kai.

" Hey, Kai! I'm here to visit!"

" Looks like I made it in time."

Kai took Aichi's apron from the table as he put it on and went to take over the cooking in the kitchen. Miwa and the others got their meals soon after as they also dug in.

" Delicious!"

" Aichi made everything. I just needed to cook them up since he's feeding the babies."

Kai took the plates he and Aichi were eating from and went back to the kitchen to wash them up before coming out after hanging the apron beside the kitchen counter. At that time, Aichi came back to the dining room with the babies in both arms as Kai rushed over to carry Tasuku from him.

" You should've knocked the door, what if you dropped them or gotten hurt?"

" It's fine."

They both sat at another table and played with the babies as an idea suddenly came to Chie's mind.

" Oh, right! We've never got to celebrate his return! Why don't we have a cooking battle and let Aichi-san be the judge?!"

" Great idea!"

" Uh, with you guys doing the cooking, I'm not sure it's safe to let him be the judge..."

 _" I'd rather not take the risk if they're_ that _bad..."_ Kai thought

" It sounds like fun, right, Kai-kun?"

" I think I'll be the judge. It's better that way since you can't recklessly eat particular food while still recovering."

" Oh yeah, I heard if I do, it'll affect the milk the babies are drinking."

" So, I'll do the judging."

" It sounds like fun, so I'll do the judging with Kai too!"

" Count me in!"

" I'll just be a spectator..."

" Me too."

" Then, I want to do the cooking since I can't be the judge. It's okay with you, right, Kai-kun?"

" Sure."

" So there's a total of five participants, I take it?"

" N-No, I..."

" Come on, Naoto! It'll be fun!"

" A-Alright then..."

" Are you sure you all don't want to join too, Misaki-san, Yuri-san?"

" Yeah."

" Then, let the three judges give you all the theme for tonight's cooking battle!"

Ren gathered Kai and Miwa as they started discussing while Kai just listened to them before they broke the circle.

" Alright! Tonight's theme is curry! Oh and make enough for all of us since it's also dinner time!"

" Okay!"

" Now then... It's a bit uneven but for the teams... I want Aichi-kun and Shiro-chan in a pair and Satosato-chan, Ama-chan and Kuji-chan in a team!"

" Shiro?"

" Satosato...?"

" Ama?"

" Kuji?"

" Don't worry... It's just Ren-san's habit..."

" Is this really alright without discussing with us, Ren?"

" Rest assured! My choices are perfect!"

" Yeah... Perfect for the second-coming of Mystery Food X..." Yosuke muttered

" Hopefully we don't see that second-coming."

" Let's just hope, Senpai."

" Oh yeah! I went back to the TV world through your TV yesterday and I made this for Aichi! Go on and try it out!"

" These are for Hitoe, right?"

Aichi was about to take the glasses as he flinched a little.

" I'm not going to take that after all..."

" Just put them on."

" It's going to be embarrassing..."

Aichi put on the glasses as they realised it was the moustache glasses as Yukiko was the first to begin laughing before the others followed suit. Kai just held in his own laughter. Aichi blushed and removed them before handing them back for Teddie.

" Just give me the normal pair already..."

" Here you are!"

Aichi put on the glasses with blue frames as he nodded.

" It's perfect. Thank you, Teddie."

" Not a problem!"

Aichi removed the glasses and hooked it in his pants pocket when Tasuku started wailing.

" W-What's wrong?!"

" Is he sleepy?"

" Not at this timing at least... And his diaper doesn't feel full..."

" I got an idea!"

Teddie ran out as he came back in his bear suit a few moments later.

" Tada! Teddie the Bear is here to play!"

" W-What the?!"

" How did he change that fast?!"

" Look at me, Tasuku!"

Teddie started to make funny faces as Tasuku's wails reduced to sniffles.

" At least it worked..."

" Although, I am still quite surprised at Tasuku's senses. It's as if he can see us a little. You think he's inherited some sort of sharp sense ability from us?"

" Let's hope not."

Tasuku was put back in the baby rocker as Kai started to rock him back and forth just in case he cries again while making sure Daichi doesn't cry too at the same time.

" Since the menu's been decided, go on and choose your ingredients! Don't worry, we have plenty to go around!"

" Naoto-san, do you want to go look at the ingredients with me?"

" S-Sure..."

" Let's go look for our ingredients too!"

" Yeah!"

They headed to the room with the ingredients as they each discussed on what they wanted to put into their curry.

" What do you usually put in the curry?"

" The usual. Carrots and Potatoes. And if needed, I would put some meat."

" I heard about that."

" But I also add something else. It does give the roux more flavour."

" And what is it?"

" Kai-kun taught it to me, especially since he's a big fan for that ingredient too. I'll show you."

They headed to the ingredients room as they took a basket and started picking out their needed ingredients.

" It's like a market in here but it's slightly colder..."

" It is, isn't it? We had to make sure we could always have enough food. Plus, we've evacuated the city to many places. The people working in the market we frequent were nice enough to let us get stocks from them in their own hideout."

" You've been at this for a year with the whole city involved?!"

" Yeah. Some just don't dare to come out of their houses. They usually only come out for food scavenging. There are still a few more markets around the city who're still constantly stocking up, so there's no problem there. But this couldn't go on for so long so it has to end sooner or later."

" I'm really surprised to hear this..."

" We're getting by, don't worry. Anyway, let's keep looking around."

" R-Right..."

They went to the vegetable section as Aichi took some onions.

" This is what we use for the roux."

" Now that I think about it, I did hear you saying something about adding more onions in the omurice Kai-san had."

" He just absolutely loves it."

Getting the rest of the ingredients, they had two kitchens prepared for both groups before they went to take a break before the battle. A few hours later, they'd gathered in the dining hall after Aichi had fed the babies as they battle began and they headed to their individual kitchens.

" Naoto-kun, I just need you to do the roux. Chop up and fry those onions until light brown for me. Don't forget to wash the rice and cook it too."

" R-Right..."

" You'll do fine. Don't worry."

While Aichi did the sauce for the curry, Naoto had washed and started cooking the rice as she left it simmering in a pot. She then went to start on the roux and fried the onions.

" Is this okay?"

" Yes, that's good. I don't want to trouble you further but could you chop up the carrots and potatoes too?"

" Sure, I don't mind. We're a team, after all."

Slowly, time passed as Aichi allowed the curry to simmer after putting all the necessary ingredients into the pot and covering it up.

" Whew... That should do... Let's check on the rice."

" Okay."

Naoto opened the lid as the rice was perfectly steamed.

" Wow! You did great! Now all we have to do is wait for the time to be almost up to plate them."

" Yeah."

Once Ren announced that there was only two minutes on the clock, they started to plate the curry and rice before heading to the table where Kai and the others were.

" Alright! The two teams can put their plates on the table!"

They put the plates in front of the three of them as Kai grimaced upon noticing the other curry rice radiating a dark purple aura.

" Mystery Food X is here..." Yosuke muttered

" Hope you enjoy our curry!"

" Same for our team too."

Kai and the others tried Aichi and Naoto's curry first.

" Wow! This is so delicious! Aichi-kun's cooking has improved so much!"

" Naoto-kun was helping me quite a lot too."

" Man, Kai's coaching never fails to impress me! To think you could cook something this delicious now! I should ask you to re-create Kai's fried rice when you have the time!"

" Shut up, Miwa. Only I get to tell Aichi that."

" Hey, when he moved in with you, you were selfish to not let me in your apartment! I couldn't taste the fried rice anymore after that day!"

" Like I said, just shut up."

" Now, now, let's stop arguing and try the other curry!"

Kai flinched inwardly as he stared at the curry from Chie's team. Ren and Miwa were ready to eat a spoonful of the curry as he took a tiny bit before they all took a bite. Kai immediately spit the curry out while Ren and Miwa collapsed.

" Kai-kun! Ren-san! Miwa-kun!"

" Oh no!"

" W-What is this...?! This isn't a normal curry!"

Aichi went over to give Kai a glass of water while the others had already scrambled to get Ren and Miwa a glass of water each too.

" Was it too spicy for you?"

" You know I can take spice, Aichi... But this..."

Aichi looked at the curry, contemplating of whether or not to take a bite due to his sense of curiousity as Kai grabbed his arm to stop him.

" No, I'm not letting you or the babies get the taste of that either. You know how they'll indirectly taste that. No matter how curious you are, you are _not_ going to take a single bite out of it for you and the babies' healths' sake."

" O-Okay..."

" I knew it. They did make a Mystery Food X comeback... What did you three add this time?"

" Uh... We did the usual from before but we added chilli pepper this time..."

" And what was this usual you made before?"

" Uh... Cornstarch, strong flour... Black and white peppers, chilli peppers... We used sea cucumber... And instead of coffee milk, we added coffee powder instead!"

" C-Coffee?!"

" Where did you even know that kind of stuff?!"

" From the television..."

" I'm pretty sure the coffee was for something else..."

" That is pretty messed up food..."

" Anyway, we can't eat this... That's all I'm going to say..."

" But what about the other two...?"

" They're pretty knocked out and I'm sure they'll say the same. So it's official, the three of you shouldn't step into the kitchen anymore."

" What?!"

" Hey, you created three more victims here, you want to create more?"

" N-No..."

" Well, since Aichi and Naoto has cooked enough for everyone... I'll say we start on dinner..."

" R-Right..."

They started scooping out their own portion as Kai noticed Aichi only took just a little curry.

" Aren't you going to eat more curry?"

" I can't let the babies drink this spicy stuff. A little of it will be fine for me."

" Are you sure?"

" Yeah."

Kai thought about it as he scooped out half a bowl of curry and headed to the kitchen.

" Kai-kun?"

A few minutes later, Kai came back out with the bowl as he poured the curry over Aichi's rice.

" But Kai-kun..."

" It's fine as long as it's not spicy, right? So eat up."

" O-Okay..."

Aichi took a bite as he was surprised by the taste.

" It's actually sweeter?"

" I added honey. This should be fine now, right?"

" Yeah! Thank you, Kai-kun!"

They continued to eat as dinner was soon over.

" Now I vote the losers of the cooking battle to wash the dishes!"

" Alright, alright... I guess the food we made was a little bad..."

" Come on, let's go wash the dishes up."

" Okay."

Aichi went to check on the babies again as they were already awake.

" They must be starting to get hungry again."

" That's really all they want whenever they wake up."

" Don't your arms get tired from carrying them everyday? You should get a sling or something."

" Well, I can knit one."

" You can knit too?"

" Yeah. I kind of picked it up and made a scarf for Kai-kun. Can you too, Kanji-kun?"

" Well, sort of... My family runs a textile store after all."

" That's great! I don't mind your help if you could!"

" Well, I'll try. A baby sling is new to me."

" I think you'll do fine. I'll go back to the room to feed them first. I'll see you in half an hour."

" Okay."

Kai carried Tasuku while Aichi carried Daichi and both went back to their room. Kai prepared their milk bottles while Aichi continued to distract them by playing.

" I'm surprised you picked this trick up for the night."

" I asked the attending nurse after I'd given birth after all. She said it'll lessen their crave for my own natural milk and help me get more rest at night."

" Well, it's definitely a good advice. If it was every night that you have to feed them like that, I'm sure it hurts."

" It does a little now but not much. Just a sort of tiny pain. But I'll bear any pain for them..."

" You really don't think much about yourself."

" I know."

Kai checked the temperature of the bottles before handing one to Aichi and they started feeding the babies.

" Look at them drinking up the milk so quickly."

" Jeez, they really need to learn to slow down with the intake, they're barely over a week old and they're already starting to gain weight."

" That just shows that they're growing well."

" Yeah. But I just have this one thing to say to them. You two should be good to your mother when you grow up. He's took on a lot of suffering to keep you two safe."

" Don't worry about me, Kai-kun."

" If I'm not, then I would worried. Otherwise, that'll mean I don't feel anything for you anymore. But that's not the case... The one year of separation made our bond stronger."

" Yeah. You're right."

They continued feeding the babies as Kai went to wash the bottles after they were done drinking. Aichi completed in burping the both of them before going to grab some sewing and knitting kits.

" Will you be alright for awhile with that guy while I go handle some other operations for the base?"

" You don't need to worry about anything, Kai-kun. Kanji-kun might look like a delinquent but he's definitely a nice person."

" Well, I sure hope so. That guy and his hopeless romance is making me sick."

" More like worried. He reminded you of us when we couldn't confess, doesn't he?"

" Looks like most of us figured it out, huh? The fact that he likes that Shirogane girl."

" He just isn't honest with himself though."

" Well, it's understandable since I saw Teddie's memories. His Shadow showed his true self and although it's true to some point, the fight was albeit creepy..."

" I won't ask the details but if you think he's good then I'll be fine with that."

" Thank you, Kai-kun."

Two minutes later, there was a knocking on the door as Kanji entered.

" Am I... interrupting you guys?"

" No. You're just in time. Come in and take a seat."

" Then I'll go handle my duties first."

" Yeah. See you later, Kai-kun."

Kai exited the room as Kanji took his seat beside the bed.

" Why the sewing kit too?"

" I'm worried that the wool material might cause them to feel itchy so I was thinking also sewing cloth outside it."

" That does make sense. Alright, let's get workin' for the little kiddos!"

" Yeah."

Both started to do their work as Aichi soon decided to pop the question.

" So, Kanji-kun... Do you like Naoto-kun?"

" H-Huh?! L-L-Like her?! W-Why would you say that?!"

" You look like you do and you always get at least one nosebleed out of it."

" T-That's..."

" Like how you just blush from teaching her stuff? Kanji-kun, I don't need to always remember the memories I saw from Teddie to know. It's quite obvious."

" W-Well... Guess there's no hiding from you, huh? After all, you're already..."

" I just don't want the both of you to be the same as Kai-kun and I. You should've seen how stubborn we were about each other, thinking that the other didn't have the same feelings. From what I know, we've held our feelings in for at least two years."

" Two years? It took you two that long to confess?"

" It's embarrassing to say but, yes. Like I said, the both of us were quite stubborn. I thought I should at least tell you this so that it doesn't take as long as us. You want to ascertain your true feelings, right? Don't make me say it out. I saw your Shadow from Teddie's memories."

" T-That's got nothing to do with it!"

" You're stuttering. But just do it, alright? I wouldn't want you two to prolong your feelings like we did either. The year of separation Kai-kun and I were forced to endure... I guess it helped to strengthen our bond. And creating new memories out of it too. I think you and Naoto-kun should be able to have the same bond. But minus out a year of separation, alright?"

" I don't know..."

" There's nothing to hesitate about. I won't force you either. Just do what your heart wants you to do."

" Right..."

They continued their work after that.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kai was on his way back to their room when he bumped into Naoto on the way.

" Kai-san."

" What are you doing, wandering around here?"

" Nothing... Just clearing up my mind."

" I sure hope you are."

" Kanji-kun's with Aichi-san, right?"

" Yeah, in our room. They're currently knitting and sewing for the babies."

" I see..."

" ... I do feel a little bored walking like this. I wouldn't mind having a little company on the way. Besides, you have questions in your mind, don't you?"

" O-Oh... Sure..."

They began their walk after that.

" So, what did you want to ask?"

" About your situation. You guys have been doing this for a year... It's surprising how you guys survived for this long."

" It did surprise me a little but if you have a will, you have a way. We've been hanging onto each of our own hopes for a long time."

" I see."

" Now for my own question. What do you feel about Kanji Tatsumi?"

" H-Huh?! Kanji-kun?!"

" Yeah. I want to know."

" W-What for?"

" Huh... You're a detective and yet, you're incredibly dense like Aichi."

" What do you mean by that?"

" Be honest. What do feel about him?"

" Uh... Kind of cool? I mean, I didn't feel much in the beginning but when all these events and him always being there for me whenever I need help, well... It's the first time I felt something else about him. I thought it was for Senpai but..."

" Narukami, huh... True, he has a lot of you girls around him. But he'll have to choose one at the end once he realises his own feelings."

" Yes, I know. But then Kanji-kun..."

" If you felt something for him, then say it. You know, it took Aichi and I around... Was it at least two years? Yeah, around two years to confess. And plus, we had feelings for each other ever since we saw each other again."

" Again?"

" Back when we were young, I gave him a card to give him courage. I didn't think much about it but I couldn't help it. He was so beaten up and looked so down. I thought that I just had to, so that I can give him the push he needed. We met each other when I moved back here."

" You moved out?"

" Yeah. A few days after I met him, my parents died in an accident. I had to move in with my uncle. Once I reached high school, I moved back so that I could just live my own life and be independent."

" I see. I'm sorry to have asked."

" No, it's fine. I mean, thanks to that meeting, I could feel the feelings I'd avoided ever since my parents died. Aichi was the one who ignited them in my heart again."

" And that is... Love?"

" Yeah. For the first time, I could... How should I phrase this? See colors in my life again. When I lost my parents, it was just a dull grey world. But seeing Aichi and his smiles gave color to that once colorless world I saw in my eyes. He sort of opened my eyes, I guess."

" Seeing colors again in a dull grey world... That's love?"

" That's for me and how I interpret this world. You and I could have different views for all I know."

" Never thought you were the kind of guy that would be this kind. I mean, when we first met, you looked so stern all the time. I guess that's a change made by love?"

" ... Well... Yeah..." Kai said, turning away while hiding a light blush

" So Aichi-san was that much of a turning point in your life."

" I need him just as much as he needs me. So, I can't afford to lose him, not again."

" I understand."

" Back to you and Tatsumi... Just go with what your heart says. Not like I'm going to be forcing you to tell your feelings anyway."

" R-Right..."

They arrived at the room as Kai opened the door to see Aichi already trying out the sling with a sleeping Tasuku inside.

" Look, Kai-kun. Looks like Tasuku-kun loves the sling." Aichi whispered

" He sure does."

" Hurry and try yours. Daichi-kun's waiting for someone to help put him to sleep."

" Okay."

Kai put the sling around his shoulder and carefully placed Daichi inside as Daichi's eyes immediately started to shut after feeling the soft and warm sling.

" Looks like he likes it too."

" Yeah."

Kanji went beside Naoto to leave Aichi and Kai alone for their time as both looked away after taking a glance at each other while hiding their blush.

" Thank you for your help, Kanji-kun. And thank you for accompanying Kai-kun over here, Naoto-kun. I'm sure you two must be feeling exhausted. Please, head back to your rooms to rest. You need it after all."

" Y-Yeah..."

The two exited the room as they felt an awkward silence going around them. Kanji then spoke up first.

" So, uh... Naoto."

" What is it, Kanji-kun?"

" I just want to tell you... Look, stop calling me with that '-kun'."

" Huh?"

" You know... Ugh, do I need to spell it out?! That honorific! Stop calling me with honorifics!"

" I-Is there a problem with the honorifics?"

" You know... I just want you to call me by my name, okay?!"

" So... Not 'Kanji-kun' but just 'Kanji'?"

" Y-Yeah!"

" S-Sure but why this all of a sudden?"

" W-Well... Ugh! Alright, fine!"

" What's fine?"

Kanji muttered a few words as Naoto tried to listen.

" What is it, Kanji-kun? I mean, Kanji? I can't hear you quite clearly."

" Well, I uh... I like you, alright?!"

" W-Wha?!"

" How many times must I repeat myself?! I like you! I like you! I like you!"

" C-Calm down, Kanji! You don't have to repeat so much!"

" R-Right... Sorry..."

Naoto breathed in and out as she took awhile to look into Kanji's eyes.

" Okay, Kanji... I kind of heard you... Well, how should I say this? I've never really felt anything for you..."

" O-Oh, I see..."

" ... At first."

" Huh?"

" That was at first. It was because of Senpai. But... After all that's happened and since you were always the one there for me, I guess... You know, I had changed feelings. S-So..."

" So, you mean..."

" I... I'll be glad to be with you and go out with you sometime when we head back home..."

" ... Alright!"

" B-But remember, it's after we head home. We still need to help Aichi-san and the others."

" Yeah, I know. I'm just happy."

" Me too, Kanji."

" I say we head back to our rooms now. We might've disturbed them a little with all my yelling..."

" Y-You're right. Let's go."

Kanji hesitated a little as he put out a hand to Naoto. Naoto took the hand and they went back to their respective rooms.

" Wait, what made you suddenly confess anyway?"

" Huh? Cause Aichi-san advised me to do it."

" That's odd. Kai-san advised me the same thing too. You don't think..."

" So both were trying to get us together, is that what you're saying?"

" I'd say it worked. We should really thank them tomorrow."

" Yeah, you're right. Let's go get our rest for now. We've got a long day ahead tomorrow too."

" Yeah."

As both continued to walk away, inside their room... Aichi and Kai had been listening in as both smiled at each other.

" It all worked out perfectly, didn't it, Kai-kun?"

" Yeah. But maybe I should get you to do the same..."

" Do what?"

" Call me by my name without honorifics."

" I-I can't..."

" Oh? Maybe I should get you to."

" I-I won't... You can't force me..." Aichi pouted

" We'll see."

" Oh, no. I know what your dirty mind is thinking. If you do, I'll make you sleep on the floor tonight."

" Come on, Aichi. Just call me by my name. Alright, you can call with honorifics for now but call me by my first name."

" I-If that's all then, I guess that's fine... T-T-Toshiki-kun..."

" No stuttering allowed. Call me properly."

" Alright... Toshiki-kun."

" That actually sounds way better. Alright, I'll stop teasing you. Let's head to sleep now. You must be exhausted."

" Yeah."

Kai switched off the lights as they laid the babies down on the bed carefully before taking off the slings and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

And that's the end of this chapter! Thank you for reading! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and I'll see everyone in the next chapter!


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